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Report: Westfield mother to be charged after baby's suspected drug overdose

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Shannon Lea, 31, mother of a 1-year-old boy who was treated for a possible opioid overdose, will face a charge of reckless endangerment of a child when she's arraigned in court.

WESTFIELD — A Westfield Police Department spokesman last week claimed a story about a toddler overdosing on opioids had "grown legs," taking on a life of its own.

Now, the baby overdose story appears to have grown some criminal charges. Shannon Lea, 31, mother of the 1-year-old boy, will be summonsed to court on a charge of reckless endangerment of a child, Westfield Police Detective James Renaudette told the Boston Herald on Wednesday.

On the evening of March 25, Lea took her baby to Baystate Noble Hospital for a possible opioid overdose. The toddler was given a dose of Narcan, a medication used to block the effects of opioids such as heroin or OxyContin, the Herald reports.

Police have no medical records indicating if the baby boy ingested opioids, Renaudette said, but detectives found evidence of heroin inside Lea's apartment. A search of the apartment turned up "trace amounts of heroin," he said, as well as syringes, a partial pill to treat heroin addiction, and a trash bag with dozens of empty heroin bags.

Based on the criminal investigation, it's clear that Lea was using and buying heroin, according to Renaudette. He pointed out that the state's "Good Samaritan" law protects people seeking medical help for a drug overdose from being charged with drug possession.

The toddler story gained media attention after a local newspaper reported on a Westfield police log entry regarding Baystate Noble Hospital contacting authorities about a baby being treated for a possible drug overdose. But the overdose incident was "not substantiated," Westfield Police Capt. Mike McCabe told MassLive / The Republican last week, after he initially characterized the incident as an apparent "accidental opioid overdose."

McCabe said a "Westfield public safety dispatch" official included details about the toddler overdose in a call log, which became part of the public record. From there, the story has "grown legs," he said.



 

Baystate Noble colonoscopy patient tests positive for infection, lawyer says

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The improper cleaning of the scopes might have exposed 293 colonoscopy patients to diseases including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

This story follows: Baystate Noble Hospital facing lawsuits from 25 patients potentially exposed to disease in colonoscopy case.


WESTFIELD -- A lawyer for a group of 25 people who are suingA Baystate Noble HospitalA in the wake of news that equipment used in giving patients colonoscopies was not properly sterilized in 2012 and 2013, said today that the hospital is aware of at least one patient who has subsequently tested positive for an infectious disease.

Robert DiTusa, a partner in the Springfield law firm of Alekman DiTusa said in an interview Wednesday, that he could not go into detail about the infected individual or even say what disease the person has tested positive for. He said he needs to protect attorney-client privilege.

DiTusa said he and his firm represent more than 25 people who received colonoscopies at the then-independent Noble Hospital during a time when the scope was not properly flushed and sanitized.

Last month, Alekman DiTusa notified Baystate Health that they could face lawsuits in the matter.

Plaintiffs in Massachusetts have three years to sue in personal injury claims.

But under Massachusetts law, they must give notice to the defendant, in this case Baystate, in order to start that legal process. Under state law, plaintiffs cannot file the lawsuit until six months after giving that notice, DiTusa said.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health considers this an open investigation, said spokesman Scott Zoback.

The case remains open until all of the serious reportable event reports are submitted, and a good-faith effort to contact and offer testing to all of the affected patients has been made, Zoback wrote in an email. The state's deadline is April 22..

DiTusa said his firm sent a letter to Baystate last monthA notifying it of the potential lawsuit or lawsuits.

During that time both sides can work out a settlement without filing a lawsuit if they so choose.

On Wednesday, Baystate spokesman Ben craft issued the following statement:

"We're not able to comment on pending litigation.

"Here is the current situation: We have completed testing for 243 of the 293 patients who were affected. We are still making every reasonable effort to reach and offer testing to the remaining 50 patients who have not been tested yet. To do this, we have mailed two certified letters to their homes and followed up a third time with phone calls. It remains our hope that all 293 patients will get tested, but the decision to do so is solely theirs to make. To date there is no evidence of any transmission of illness from the endoscopes. The safety and privacy of our patients remains our top priority as we move forward in this process."

DiTusa said the statement is not in conflict with his contention that Baystate is aware of at least one colonoscopy patient who has tested positive. He pointed out the phrase: "To date there is no evidence of any transmission of illness from the endoscopes".

He said it could be up to a jury someday to determine if any infections can be traced back to the colonoscope or whether the patient or patients in question were infected elsewhere or by other means.

There is also the possibility that affected patients were tested by someone other than Baystate, DiTusa said.

Also, DiTusa said, patients who had the scopes used on them and are not infected can still sue for the negligent infliction of emotional stress.

The improperA cleaning of the scopes might have exposed 293 colonoscopy patients to diseases including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, Baystate has said.

Technicians at Noble Hospital failed to properly clean one channel -- the one used to carry sanitary saline solution into the patients' body --A  on the four-channel colonoscopes in 2012 and 2013. Workers there did not use an adapter on cleaning equipment that would have gotten the cleaning solution into all four tubes.

At the time, Noble was an independent hospital. It became part of Springfield-based BaystateA Health in 2015.

DiTusa provided a redacted copy of Baystate's internal report on the incident. The report, submitted to the state Department of Public health and provided to one of his clients, said Noble learned of of the need for the adapter in 2013 when a new employee cameA  to them from another hospital where it was used.

The report blames the failure to use the adapter on a lack of proper communication between manufacturer and Noble.

Procedures were changed.

In public statements after making the incident public, Baystate doctors said the incident was not brought to the attention of executives high enough up the chain of command.

Ditusa cited an incident report prepared by Baystate for the state Department of Public Health and mailed to one of his clients in March. That report, reproduced below, blames the problem on a lack of communication between the manufacturer of the scope and Noble.

In the Baystate report DiTusa made public, it says that the operating room manger conferred with "leadership" and the manufacturer and determined that the risk of infection was low. In 2013 decision was made not to notify patients at that time.

The Baystate report doesn't say who made that decision.

A routine state Department of Public Health review in November, brought the incident to the fore leading to Baystate to notify patients and the public in February.

Subsequently to making the incident public in February, Baystate and Baystate Noble have expressed regret at not notifying patients sooner.

Baystate doctors have said the situation was not taken far enough up the chain of command and top executives were not informed. That process would have resulted in affected patients being notified sooner.

Instead, the matter came to light in November through a review conducted by the state Department of Public Health. Baystate Noble informed the 293 patients and the media in February.

Ditusa cited an incident report prepared by Baystate for the state Department of Public Health and mailed to one of his clients in March. That report, reproduced below, blames the problem on a lack of communication between the manufacturer of the scope and Noble.

Noble didn't inform the patients, the report said, because Noble officials at the time believed the risk of infection was low.

Subsequent to making the incident public, Baystate expressed regret that patients were not notified sooner while continuing to say that the risk of infection was low. The channel that was not cleaned was used to pump sterile saline into patients to clean the area so doctors can see better.

It wasn't, for example, used to remove tissue from the patient for biopsy.

DiTusa emphasized the time lag between 2013 and 2016 in his comments Wednesday. He said all that time patients might have gotten sick, suffered permanentA  or passed disease on to others.

Baystate Noble Incident Report


Berkshire Trail Riders help rural fire departments buy rescue equipment

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The nonprofit association said the grants range from $600 to $1000 and will be used to buy safety harnesses, response bags, off-road extraction equipment and other emergency rescue equipment.

GRANVILLE — The Berkshire Trail Riders Association recently awarded grants to rural fire departments to help them purchase rescue gear.

The nonprofit BTR awarded a total of $5,000 to fire departments in the towns of Granville, Blandford and Tolland in Hampden County, Sandisfield in Berkshire County and Pine Meadow in Litchfield County. Pine Meadow is the historic section of New Hartford, Connecticut.

The grants range from $600 to $1000 and will be used to buy safety harnesses, response bags, off-road extraction equipment and other emergency rescue equipment for firefighters. Over the years, BTR has donated more than $50,000 to charitable and nonprofit organizations.

BTR promotes responsible off-road riding, sanctioned competition and local philanthropy, according to the group's Facebook page. Members maintain the trails they ride, actively promoting preservation through trail work parties several times a year, while working alongside various local, state and federal agencies.


 

Holyoke Ward 6 elected officials schedule meeting to discuss residents' concerns

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Holyoke schools receiver Stephen Zrike will discuss the state of the public schools at a neighborhood meeting April 27 held by Ward 6 Councilor Kevin Jourdain and William Collamore, the ward's School Committee representative.

HOLYOKE -- The Ward 6 representatives on the City Council and School Committee invite residents to discuss concerns at a meeting April 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sullivan Elementary School, 400 Jarvis Ave.

The meeting will include a 7 p.m. discussion about the public schools by Stephen K. Zrike, the state-appointed receiver in charge of the Holyoke schools, said a Facebook listing about the meeting.

Ward 6 Councilor Kevin A. Jourdain and William R. Collamore, the Ward 6 representative on the School Committee, are holding the meeting.

"Please come and discuss important issues facing our city and our ward. It will be a great evening," the listing said.


Bank, technology stocks lead Wall Street to biggest loss in 6 weeks

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The Dow Jones industrial average fell 174 points to 17,542.

By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks sunk to their biggest loss in a month and a half Thursday as banks and technology companies tumbled. Interest rates moved lower, hurting financial stocks. The dollar continued to fall compared to the Japanese yen. Stocks have fallen three out of four days this week.

Stocks sharply reversed course after their gains a day ago. Financial companies including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup took the largest losses. Technology and telecommunications companies also fell.

The market has lost momentum over the last few weeks after a furious rally that wiped out most of its losses from early 2016. Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist for Wells Fargo's Investment Institute, said stocks are rising and falling based on how investors expect the global economy to do.

"People are worried about growth today," he said. "You're not getting much more than modest economic activity."

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 174.09 points, or 1 percent, to 17,541.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 24.75 points, or 1.2 percent, to 2,041.91. The Nasdaq composite index lost 72.35 points, or 1.5 percent, to 4,848.37.

Financial companies fell sharply. Goldman Sachs slid $4.78, or 3.1 percent, to $150.41 and Citigroup lost $1.59, or 3.8 percent, to $40.27 while JPMorgan Chase dipped $1.49, or 2.5 percent, to $57.32. Wren said banks are struggling because economic growth is sluggish and interest rates remain low, which means they can't make as much money from lending.

"Interest rates aren't going to do what banks really need them to do," he said.

EBay led tech stocks lower as it fell $1.33, or 5.2 percent, to $24.10 and Apple gave up $2.42, or 2.2 percent, to $108.54. Telecommunications companies continued to struggle. Verizon fell $1.52, or 2.8 percent, to $52.

Wynn Resorts, which plans to open a casino in Boston, jumped $10.44, or 11.7 percent, to $99.99 after the hotel and casino company proposed a new development. Wynn said it wants to build a recreational lake and hotel behind its Wynn Las Vegas property.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.69 percent from 1.76 percent. The dollar continued to weaken against the yen, and is now at its lowest compared to the yen in almost a year and a half. On Thursday it fell to 108.24 yen from 109.62 yen. The euro declined to $1.1377 from $1.1410.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 49 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $37.26 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, dropped 41 cents to $39.43 a barrel in London.

Wholesale club operator Costco declined after the company disclosed its March sales. Its stock fell $4.74, or 3 percent, to $152.03. Retailer Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings traded higher after it announced solid quarterly results. The stock climbed $2.34, or 10.3 percent, to $25.04.

HanesBrands said it will buy Champion Europe. HanesBrands owns Champion and the deal gives it control of a company that owned the Champion trademark in Europe as well as the Middle East and Africa. It recently made a similar deal in Japan unit as well. The underwear, T-shirt and sock maker's stock added 77 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $27.87.

ConAgra Foods added 66 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $46.09. The maker of Chef Boyardee, Hebrew National hot dogs and other packaged foods reported third-quarter profit and sales were stronger than expected.

Used car dealership chain CarMax reported strong fourth-quarter results, but its stock lost $3.81, or 7.1 percent, to $49.48. The company said it faced a tougher sales environment in the second half of the fiscal year.

The price of gold rose $13.70 or 1.1 percent, to settle at $1,237.50 an ounce and silver gained 10 cents to $15.16 an ounce. Copper plunged seven cents, or 3.1 percent, to $2.08 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.38 a gallon. Heating oil slipped 1 cent to $1.13 a gallon. Natural gas rose 11 cents, or 5.6 percent, to $2.02 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The Labor Department said applications for unemployment benefits fell slightly last week. That shows employers aren't slashing jobs even though there are signs economic growth is weak.

Germany's DAX fell 1 percent and the CAC-40 in France shed 0.9 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.4 percent. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.2 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.3 percent. In South Korea, the Kospi added 0.1 percent.

Wash. psychiatric hospital patient on loose was accused of torturing woman to death

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Anthony Garver, 28, escaped Wednesday night with Mark Alexander Adams, 58, a patient who had been accused of domestic assault in 2014 and was captured Thursday morning, police and hospital officials said.

SEATTLE -- A man accused of torturing a woman to death but found too mentally ill for trial was on the loose Thursday after crawling out a window in a locked, lower-security unit of a Washington state psychiatric hospital already facing federal scrutiny over safety problems.

Anthony Garver, 28, escaped Wednesday night with Mark Alexander Adams, 58, a patient who had been accused of domestic assault in 2014 and was captured Thursday morning, police and hospital officials said.

Western State Hospital says the men were discovered missing 45 minutes after they were last seen, but police said it took an hour and a half. There was no immediate way to reconcile the different timelines.

Garver was charged in 2013 with tying a 20-year-old woman to her bed with electrical cords, stabbing her 24 times in the chest and slashing her throat, Snohomish County Assistant Prosecutor Craig Matheson said.

Garver was moved to a lower-security unit of the state's largest psychiatric hospital after a judge said mental health treatment to prepare him to face criminal charges was not working.

The escape is the latest in a litany of problems at the 800-bed hospital south of Tacoma, where violent assaults on both staff and patients have occurred.

U.S. regulators have repeatedly cited the facility over safety concerns and threatened to cut millions in federal funding. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently extended the hospital's deadline for fixing the problems from April 1 to May 3.

A federal judge also has said the hospital has failed to provide timely competency services to mentally ill people charged with crimes.

A bus driver picked up a man he believed was Garver around 6 p.m. Wednesday, said police, who urged anyone who spots him to stay away and contact authorities. Garver's lawyer, Jon Scott, said he could not speak about the escape but said he hopes Garver "is found quickly and safely."

2 described as dangerous escape from Washington facility

Adams also got on a bus and asked the driver how to get to the airport. Someone recognized Adams and officers picked him up without incident about 20 minutes away from the hospital in a town just south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler said.

The men were last seen at 6 p.m. Wednesday during dinner and found missing 45 minutes later during a routine patient check, said Carla Reyes, assistant director of the Department of Social and Health Services' Behavioral Health Administration, which oversees mental health services in the state.

Police said the absence was discovered at 7:30 p.m. and officers were alerted just after 7:45 p.m.

Patients in the hospital's lower-security unit are checked every hour, Reyes said. Garver and Adams were not placed in the high-security unit because a judge granted a state request to hold them as a danger to themselves or others after treatment failed to restore their ability to understand the criminal charges against them.


Officials are conducting a safety review of the hospital and will bring in outside experts to help, Reyes said.

"We can never have too many fresh eyes reviewing a situation as serious as this," Reyes said in a statement. "As always, safety -- for the public, staff and other patients -- remains a priority."

Nursing Supervisor Paul Vilja said he was amazed to hear that the men who escaped were assigned to a unit with hourly checks, because some of the more-dangerous patients are in units with checks every 15 minutes.

Vilja and other hospital workers objected when the hospital first required the 15-minute checks two years ago because they said staffing levels were not adequate to handle the extra duties. Workers were required to fill out forms for each 15-minute check but often fell behind, so not all of them were done, Vilja said.

The state has tried to fix some of the problems by increasing funding so more staff could be hired. But the hospital has struggled with recruiting and retaining workers.

The state has a history of underfunding its mental health programs, including its facilities, said Lauren Simonds, executive director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness Washington. She said she hopes funding added during the recent legislative session will help move the state from being ranked lowest in the nation.

Despite increased federal scrutiny of the hospital, assaults have persisted, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

A patient with a history of violent behavior choked and punched a mental health technician on March 26, according to an internal report. Another report on March 23 said a male patient slipped out of his monitors and was found in a bathroom with another male patient, who said he was sexually assaulted.

Injured employees missed 41,301 days of work between 2010 and 2014 and on-the-job injuries forced staff to move to other jobs, like desk work, for 7,760 days during that period, according to state Occupational Safety and Health Administration records.

Workers' compensation insurance paid $6 million in wage and medical costs for claims to injured hospital workers between January 2013 and September 2015, according to records acquired by the AP. More than half of the 700 injuries reported by nurses, psychiatric technicians, counselors, psychiatrists and other workers during that period were caused by violent patient assaults, the records said.

Former Massachusetts nurse who stole painkillers from hospital sentenced in Springfield federal court

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U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni sentenced 41-year-old Daniel Herlocker of Brattleboro, Vermont, to two years of probation for "acquiring and obtaining controlled substances by deception and subterfuge," federal prosecutors said.

SPRINGFIELD — A former Massachusetts nurse who stole painkillers from a Franklin County hospital was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Springfield.

U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni sentenced 41-year-old Daniel Herlocker of Brattleboro, Vermont, to two years of probation, including three months of home confinement, for "acquiring and obtaining controlled substances by deception and subterfuge," federal prosecutors said.

In fall 2014, Herlocker, then a nurse at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, stole pain medication from the Greenfield hospital's automated drug-dispensing machine, prosecutors said. He diverted Dilaudid and morphine, both powerful painkillers, from cartridge units known as carpujects, which were stored in the drug-dispensing machine. Herlocker then used needles to syphon the drugs from the carpujects, replacing the medications with sterile saline solution, prosecutors said.

Herlocker was fired as soon as hospital officials learned of his actions, according to Baystate Health spokesman Ben Craft. An exhaustive investigation determined that no patients were harmed by Herlocker's actions, Craft said.

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, whose office prosecuted the case, said charges were brought against Herlocker as part of the federal government's response to the growing opioid crisis in Massachusetts and other New England states.

"Theft of controlled substances by medical professionals not only puts patients at risk when they are deprived of their medication, but also fuels the pipeline of illegal prescription opioids," Ortiz said.



Southbridge man pleads guilty to illegally exporting gun parts overseas

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David Maricola, 60, pleaded guilty to a 32-count indictment that included illegally exporting defense articles, conspiracy, money laundering, and lying on customs documents.

WORCESTER — A Southbridge man admitted in U.S. District Court in Worcester to illegally exporting hundreds of gun parts overseas.

David L. Maricola, 60, pleaded guilty Thursday to a 32-count indictment that included charges of conspiracy, money laundering, lying on customs documents, and illegally exporting defense articles.

Maricola and an alleged accomplice – 32-year old Finnish resident Arto Laatikanien – were indicted in 2015 in connection with exporting hundreds of assault rifle and firearm components, including parts for M16, M4, AR-15 assault rifles, Glock pistols, and UZI submachine guns.

At Thursday's hearing, Maricola admitted that he procured gun parts from Gunbroker.com – an online auction site for firearms – and then shipped the parts by U.S. mail. Maricola lied on customs forms by describing the gun segments as replicas, "Airsoft" parts, or – in the case of of several AR-15 assault rifles – as "aluminum sculptures."

The parts Maricola shipped to Laatikanien came from an array of deadly merchandise, including UZI submachine guns, Glock pistols, and assault rifles.

Once Laatikanien received the weaponry, he would then reportedly sell it to organized crime groups in Finland. These buyers included powerful crime groups like the Cannonballs Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, an international biker crew involved indebt collection and the drug trade.

Maricola's exports business wasn't limited to the chilly, Nordic north, however. His enterprise allegedly sold to people in 22 different countries – including France, Indonesia, France, Spain, Thailand, Germany and Australia.

Maricola could receive up to 20 years in prison for each separate count of money laundering and illegal exportation of firearms, with possible additional sentences of up to five years for conspiracy and making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 30.


 


State of Vermont mulls buying 13 TransCanada dams on Connecticut and Deerfield rivers

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Gov. Peter Shumlin has appointed a task force to evaluate the idea's feasibility.

The state of Vermont is looking into whether it makes sense to buy 13 hydro dams on the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

The dams have been put on the market by TransCanada, which is trying to raise capital to finance the $13 billion purchase of Columbia Pipeline Group, a Texas-based midstream company which transports natural gas.

Gov. Peter Shumlin has formed a working group to advise the state Legislature on the possible purchase, reports Vermont Digger. Shumlin at a Monday press conference said the dams could potentially help Vermont meet its green energy goals while strengthening the state's economy. He said the state could purchase the dams on its own, through a public-private partnership, or use another mechanism.

The hydro dams were sold to TransCanada for $500 million in 2004 after former owner USGen New England went bankrupt. Vermont at the time bid less than $400 million for the dams, which then had the capacity of 567 megawatts -- more than half of Vermont's total energy load.

A working group of industry experts and state officials is expected to craft a recommendation for lawmakers within weeks. The group will look into issues of feasibility including maintenance, financing, power markets and cash flow, officials told Vermont Digger.

TransCanada hopes to sell the dams by the end of the year. The properties include 30,000 acres of land in New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, and storage-only reservoirs. It's not clear if the company would agree to sell only a portion of its generation assets.

The Connecticut River dams are currently undergoing a multi-year federal relicensing process under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Cops: Boston man caught with loaded gun in Brockton

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David Allen, 24, was in possession of a fully loaded Keltec 9 mm handgun without a license, according to Massachusetts State Police officials.

BROCKTON — A Boston man was arrested after police allegedly found him carrying a loaded gun in Brockton on Tuesday night.

David Allen, 24, was a passenger in a speeding pickup truck that was stopped by a Massachusetts State Police trooper on East Ashland Street around 9:30 p.m. Further investigation revealed Allen was in possession of a fully loaded Keltec 9 mm handgun without a license, police said.

He was expected to be arraigned on gun charges in Brockton District Court on Wednesday.


Massachusetts Senate passes controversial charter school bill

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Passage of the bill came over the objection of charter school supporters, who said it lifts the cap on charter schools too slowly.

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts state Senate on Thursday passed a controversial charter school bill that would gradually lift a cap on charter schools in low-performing districts but would tie the cap lift to an increase in funding for district public schools.

The bill passed 22 to 13, after hours of debate.

"We're at a unique moment in time where we can take whatever we've learned over more than 20 years of education reform and make sure we put in place the tools to fairly and adequately fund the education of all of our students," said state Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

The bill, Spilka said, "has a powerful potential to ensure the success of all of our students, not just a small percentage."

State Sen. Ben Downing, D-Pittsfield, said the bill "seeks to address concerns and sets forth a bigger vision for where education needs to go in Massachusetts."

Passage of the bill came over the objection of charter school supporters, who said it lifts the cap on charter schools too slowly and gives additional tools to lawmakers and districts to limit the number of new charter schools that can open.

Great Schools Massachusetts, the committee formed to support charter school expansion, said the bill "does nothing to expand access to high quality public charter schools for the thousands of families in urban communities that desperately want it."

At the same time, Save Our Public Schools, the ballot committee formed to oppose the charter school expansion, also criticized the bill for perpetuating "the expansion of a separate and unequal education system" by expanding charter schools.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said the bill "has more poison bills to it than Dr. Kevorkian's apothecary."

Under the Senate bill, if the Legislature increases overall education spending, then the charter school cap would be lifted in the lowest-performing districts from 18 percent of school spending to 23 percent of school spending, at a rate of 0.5 percent per year.

The bill would cost the state $203 million to $212 million a year. The bill does not identify any new funding source for that money.

The bill would also eliminate the cap for charter schools that primarily serve the most high-risk students. It changes the funding formula by which district schools are reimbursed for charter school students. It would let local school districts choose whether to count Horace Mann charter schools and innovation schools toward the charter school cap - which could let districts avoid opening new charter schools.

It would require changes to the way charter schools are run, mandating increased transparency in finances and operations and increased representation of parents and teachers on charter school boards.

The bill now goes to the House, where it is likely to face a significant debate. Even if it passes both bodies of the Legislature, Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, will not necessarily sign it. Baker, a strong supporter of charter schools, has criticized the bill for not doing enough to get charter school applicants off a waiting list.

During a lengthy debate that went into the evening, the Senate considered more than 50 amendments

One significant amendment that was adopted, by a 24 to 10 vote, would require that every charter school application get approval from a majority of the board of the local school district.

Read more about the debate here: Hours of debate as Massachusetts Senate weighs controversial charter school bill

Read more about the underlying bill here: Massachusetts Senate proposes major overhaul of charter school system

100 gallons of Vermont maple syrup go missing

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Over one hundred gallons of maple syrup have gone missing after a burglary in Vermont last weekend.

VERMONT — Over one hundred gallons of maple syrup have gone missing after a burglary in Cadbury, Vermont that occurred last weekend, between April 2 and April 4.

The victims, Paul and Marvin Ryan lost nearly one fourth of their annual syrup output, officials said. They are "extremely upset," said Sgt. Lyle Decker of the Vermont State police, who said the two had been making "a lot money" selling the syrup for profit.

During the burglary, a large amount of syrup appears to have been dumped, or spilled on the ground.

Police reported that there were "no tracks" to identify the burglars and that it was unclear whether they made off on foot or used a car to getaway.

Anyone with information should contact Sgt. Lyle Decker of the Vermont State Police. Phone: (802) 748-3111.

Massachusetts Senate passes solar net metering cap lift

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After five months of closed-door negotiations, a compromise bill lifting the cap on solar net metering sailed through the Legislature and is on its way to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk.

BOSTON -- After five months of closed-door negotiations, a compromise bill lifting the cap on solar net metering sailed through the Legislature and is on its way to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk.

The Massachusetts Senate passed the net metering bill Thursday night by a vote of 35-0, a day after the House passed the bill.

"I believe this compromise, while not perfect, while not ideal, is an important step to keep solar working in Massachusetts," said State Sen. Ben Downing, D-Pittsfield, chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Baker is likely to sign it. On Tuesday, Baker spokesman Billy Pitman said the governor "believes the conference committee's report is an encouraging step toward building upon the continued success of the Commonwealth's solar industry and ensuring a viable, sustainable and affordable solar market for ratepayers as the administration continues its balanced approach to diversifying a renewable energy portfolio that includes cost-effective, hydropower generation."

The passage of the bill caps a divisive debate that has for the past year been pitting the solar industry against the utilities.

The cap on net metering, the practice by which someone can generate solar energy and receive a financial credit for energy they generated but did not use, has been stalling solar projects around Massachusetts. Solar companies wanted the cap lifted immediately. Utilities said the subsidies being paid for solar energy were raising electricity costs for non-solar customers, and they wanted to see the reimbursement rates lowered before the cap was lifted.

The compromise bill, H.4173, would lift the cap by 3 percent for public and private projects, which are projects owned by both governments and businesses. It would lower the reimbursement rate for most new projects from the retail rate, which has recently ranged from 17 cents to 21 cents per kilowatt hour to 11 or 12 cents per kilowatt hour.

Projects owned by governments and municipalities and small residential projects would still get the full retail rate. Existing projects that are already connected to the grid would be grandfathered in under the old rate for 25 years.

The bill would allow the Department of Energy to charge customers a minimum monthly bill. It directs the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to craft a new version of an incentive program referred to as SREC in a way that provides a financial incentive for low-income solar projects.

Both advocates and lawmakers have warned that they will need to revisit the issue, since the cap is likely to be hit again in 2017, so this bill is only a short-term solution.

Downing noted that lawmakers raised the cap in 2010, 2012, 2014 and now 2016. "That stop and start doesn't lead to good planning. It doesn't lead to a healthy market," Downing said.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said with the impending loss of energy generation capacity due to the retirement of power plants over the next decade, Massachusetts needs to create a path for more renewable energy generation.

Tarr called passage of the net metering bill "a matter of urgency" in order to eliminate a backlog of stalled solar projects.

Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, sent out statements praising the vote. "Our climate is changing and we must work towards an energy future that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels while promoting the use of clean energy alternatives," Rosenberg said. "I am pleased we have found a path forward which ensures we will remain a leader in green energy and continue building a sustainable future for our Commonwealth."

DeLeo said, "This bill and the more comprehensive efforts we will undertake later in the session will help foster a sustainable, renewable energy industry while ensuring ratepayers are treated fairly."

Massachusetts State Police: Lawrence man busted with heroin, needles and $15K cash in Lawrence

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Carlos Melendez, 31, was charged with drug crimes following a traffic stop in Lowell early Thursday morning, April 7.

LOWELL — A Lawrence man was charged with drug crimes after a police traffic stop in Lowell early Thursday morning.

Around 12:50 a.m., troopers pulled over a car with illegal window tinting on Route 110, according to the Massachusetts State Police Office of Media Relations in Framingham.

The driver, 31-year-old Carlos A. Melendez, was carrying heroin, several needles and over $15,000 cash, police said.

Melendez was charged with heroin possession; heroin possession subsequent offense; driving with a suspended license; and a window tint violation.

He was held on $100,000 bail pending arraignment in Lowell District Court. It was not immediately known if he has a lawyer.


Hampshire County detective unit recognized at child abuse awareness breakfast

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State police detectives were presented with the Ellen Sedlis Award at the 17th Child Abuse Awareness Breakfast.

NORTHAMPTON — The Hampshire County Detective Unit attached to the Northwestern District Attorney's office was honored Thursday at the 17th Annual Child Abuse Awareness Breakfast for its commitment to "investigating crimes against the Commonwealth's youngest citizens," said MSPnews.org.

Detectives were presented with the Ellen Sedlis Award, named after the founder of the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, a nonprofit that assists survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

District Attorney David Sullivan spoke at the event, lauding the honorees for their professionalism, dedication and compassion. "The unsung heroes in the fight to end child abuse are our state police detectives and local law enforcement partners," he said. "Through their work, they not only solve a crime, but save a child's life."

 

Springfield crime: 15-year-old girl shot in Brightwood section of North End

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The girl was shot at 212 Plainfield St., according to Springfield police, who continue to investigate.

SPRINGFIELD — A teenager was shot and wounded in the city's North End on Thursday night.

Police responded to an 8:03 p.m. report of a gunshot victim inside an apartment at 212 Plainfield St. in the Brightwood section of the neighborhood. When officers arrived at the address, they found a 15-year-old girl "going into cardiac arrest," preliminary police reports indicated.

By late Thursday night, the girl was listed in serious but stable condition at a local hospital, according to a police spokesman, who did not provide details about her injuries.

The victim knows the person who shot her, according to investigators, who are looking into the possibility that the shooting was accidental.

Authorities described the shooter as a "male juvenile" who fled the scene before officers arrived. A lookout and description were given for the suspect, who was armed with a small silver handgun, possibly a revolver.

At least one adult and other children were at the apartment when the shooting occurred, police said.

"This is an ongoing investigation and detectives are vigorously working on this case," Sgt. John Delaney said.


MAP showing approximate location of shooting:


 

Report: Man stabbed in chest in Springfield's Forest Park section

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The victim was expected to survive, according to Springfield police.

SPRINGFIELD — A man was stabbed and seriously injured in the city's Forest Park neighborhood on Thursday.

"The victim was stabbed in the chest," Springfield Police Lt. Brian Keenan told 22News. "He's expected to survive," Keenan said.

At about 5:45 p.m., police responded to a stabbing report at 147 Euclid Ave., where they found the injured man and arrested a woman. Her name was not immediately available, but she's expected to face charges in connection with the stabbing, police said.


MAP showing approximate location of stabbing:


 


Massachusetts Senate says 'no' to Gov. Charlie Baker's charter school proposal

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The rejection illustrates the difficulty lawmakers and the governor will face in developing a plan that will be approved by the House, Senate and Baker.

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday soundly rejected a proposal by Gov. Charlie Baker to increase the number of charter schools in Massachusetts.

The rejection was not a surprise - the Senate was debating a separate charter school bill that was crafted by leading state senators. But it illustrates the difficulty lawmakers and the governor will face in developing a plan that will be approved by the House, Senate and Baker.

"This essentially guts the bill we worked so hard to come up with," said State Sen. Dan Wolf, D-Harwich, who sat on the committee that developed the Senate bill.

Baker is a strong supporter of charter schools. In October, he proposed a bill that would expand the number of charter schools in Massachusetts by up to a dozen schools a year in low-performing districts, which would not be subject to the existing charter school cap.

Baker's bill was praised by charter school advocates, but attacked by the teachers' unions.

The state Senate countered last week with its own proposal, which was cheered by public school advocates but opposed by representatives of charter schools.

The Senate bill would gradually increase a cap on charter schools in low-performing districts, but it would tie the cap lift to a significant increase in funding for district public schools. It also proposed reforms to the way charter schools are governed, in areas including transparency of governance and representation of parents on school boards.

Baker criticized the Senate's bill for not doing enough to get students off charter school waiting lists and for mandating more local spending.

During debate on the Senate bill, State Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, proposed replacing the Senate bill with the governor's proposal. The amendment was voted down, five votes to 30.

Rodrigues argued that the governor's bill "would enable districts to more effectively leverage the expertise of charter schools to close the achievement gap."

State Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, said expanding access to charter schools would give students, particularly those who are low-income, the opportunity to choose the schools that are best suited for them. "The poorest kids have a right to learn and be educated as well," Humason said.

But Wolf said the governor's bill would be "fiscally reckless" since it would subject the state to $300 million in additional spending to help just 4 percent of the student population.

State Sen. Patricia Jehlen, D-Somerville, said the governor's proposal would effectively eliminate the charter cap in 72 communities.

Amherst begins infrastructure improvements near Kendrick Park to pave way for economic development

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Amherst received the money in 2014.

AMHERST - Portions of East Pleasant Street along the edge of Kendrick Park will be closed beginning Monday while crews start infrastructure improvements that will lead to greater economic development there.

In 2014, the town received a $1.5 million MassWorks Infrastructure Grant to pay for the improvements in the East Pleasant and Triangle Street area.

The money is paying to bury cables and wires to make it easier to develop in the area.

Public Works Superintendent Guilford Mooring said at the time the grant was awarded that burying the wires was more than an aesthetic improvement.

It means the wires don't have to be set back 10 or 20 feet from the existing poles.

"It means more space" for developers making projects more economically viable to build because they will have more space to rent, he said.

Parts of the sidewalk, bike lane and travel lane on the westerly side will be closed.

The bus stop at Kendrick Park will be closed for the duration of this work, according to a press release.

Bus riders will be re-directed to the bus stop just south of Cowles Lane, according to a press release.

Two-way traffic will be maintained on East Pleasant Street during this phase of construction although the travel lanes will be constricted.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and seek alternate routes if possible.

Construction is expected to begin at 7 a.m.

Hampden County employment board launches summer jobs for youths campaign

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Applications will soon be available.

SPRINGFIELD -- Gregory Gomez, a 15-year-old student at Holyoke High School, was let go from his first summer job at the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club two years ago.

"I was doing the opposite of everything CareerPoint had told me to do," he said.

So when he got a call last summer that there was a fill-in position available for him working at Lt. Clayre P. Sullivan Elementary School, he knew he had to  pay attention, work hard and do a good job.

"Where I come from, you don't get a lot of second chances," he said.

Gomez was one of the speakers Friday at the annual news conference kicking off the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County's Summer Jobs for youth Campaign. It's an effort to give young people like Gomez a chance to learn about the working world of adult responsibility  while putting a little money in their pocket.

The employment board, besides announcing that applications will soon be available, reported that it is looking for donations to add to state dollars and for businesses and organizations willing to act as work sites for the young employees. As always, its is also looking for people willing to hire young people as well.

The Regional Employment Board can be reached online here.

Dajah Gordon, a 17-year-old student at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Academy in Springfield, also spoke Friday. She worked at Junior Achievement last year filing and doing office work. She also worked in a Marshall's department store stocking product and cleaning shelves.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno welcomed everyone to Springfield City Hall by reminding the young people that the "soft-skills" of the workplace are often what makes the difference.

"Please and thank you. Hold that door open. Be willing to learn," Sarno said.

State lawmakers included $11.5 million in this state budget for the Youthworks Summer Jobs program, said David Cruise, president and CEO of the Hampden County Regional Employment Board. Of that $11.5 million, $1.4 million is headed to Hampden County this summer.

It's enough, Cruise said, to put about 900 young people from Springfield, Holyoke, Westfield and Chicopee to work this summer. They earn $10 an hour for an average of 125 hours over six weeks and they get 15 hours of workplace readiness and and safety skills training.

Jim Parcells, director of planning and youth programs Franklin Hampshire Career Center, said his agency received $65,000 for jobs in Northampton out of that statewide $11.5 million. That is enough for 25 jobs, he said.

Both Cruise and Parcells said the funding is even from last year. But Cruise it won't go as far this year because the state's minimum wage is up.

"The demand for jobs is through the roof," Cruise said. "There are so many young people looking for work."

Automation and liability concerns make it tougher for business to hire young people, he said.

The unemployment rate in Hampden County for those ages 16 to 19 is 27.7 percent compared with 9.4 percent for all age groups, Cruise said.

Parcells said that in Hampshire and Franklin county he has noticed young people having a slightly easier time, however.

"The economy is getting a little better," Parcells said.

Parcells said applications for the Hampshire County jobs will go out to Northampton high schools next week. Interested students should see their guidance counselors. Northampton is the only city in Hampshire County that qualified for the program.

Cruise said Hampshire County applications will go out to high schools and social  service organizations next week. Deadlines vary from city to city. here are the  points of contact in each of the four cities:

  • Springfield: New England Farm Workers Council, 1628-1640 Main St.; state Rep. Benjamin Swan's Office, 815 State Street; Dunbar Community Center, 33 Oak St.
  • Holyoke: CareerPoint, 850 High St.
  • Chicopee: Valley Opportunity Council, 106 Stonina Drive or 35 Mt. Carmel Ave.
  • Westfield: Westfield High School or Westfield Vocational Technical Academy, South Middle School or North Middle School.
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